Royal Caribbean Passenger Reportedly Jumped Overboard To Escape Gambling Debt Racked Up During Cruise

A man reportedly jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise ship over the weekend. He came up with an elaborate reason why he dived overboard, but authorities quickly concluded it was likely related to gambling debt.

What happened: According to a report by CBS, the cruise ship Rhapsody of the Seas departed from the Port of San Juan, Porta Rico, on August 31. The vessel returned from a trip to Barbados on September 7. However, a passenger, Jey Gonzalez-Diaz, reportedly jumped overboard as it disembarked in the morning.

• Gonzalez-Diaz was not in the water for long, and a passerby on a jet ski brought him to shore. Authorities reportedly found him later near the Puerto Rico Capitol Building. CBS cites court documents, which claim officers found Gonzalez-Diaz carrying two phones, five IDs, and $14,600 in cash.
• The man reportedly spoke to officers in Spanish. He allegedly claimed to have jumped overboard to avoid paying duties on the currency.

The Passenger Used A Different Name On Board The Royal Caribbean Cruise

An alias: Per CBS, Royal Caribbean told authorities that Gonzalez-Diaz was booked to travel under the name Jeremy Diaz. He also accumulated gambling debt on board and owed the ship $16,710.24. Court documents reportedly said the debt was “almost exclusively associated to Casino and Gaming expenses.”

• According to a translated report by Wapa, investigators eventually discovered that Jeremy Diaz is actually Jeremy Omar González Díaz, the accused’s brother. He is serving a sentence in the Guaynabo federal prison for drug trafficking and weapon possession.
• The outlet also reveals that authorities released Jey Gonzalez-Diaz on bail.

Drama on a Disney Cruise: A young girl fell off the Disney Dream Cruise Ship earlier this year, per Minq. Her father heroically dived in to save her, and emergency staff quickly rescued the pair.

• At the time, some speculated that the father must have been holding the child over the railing, as the ship had numerous safety measures. However, authorities believe the 5-year-old lost her balance while sitting on a railing. She then reportedly fell through a porthole.
• Many details about the incident remain unclear, but law enforcement claims that CCTV footage corroborates the family’s statements.